Geranium plant named ‘Duevipisplash’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Duevipisplash’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and light red purple-colored flowers with red purple spots towards the center.

Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Pelargonium×hortorumcultivar ‘Duevipisplash’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duevipisplash’.

The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new Zonal Geraniums with attractiveflower and foliage colors.

The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in June, 1998, of a proprietary selection ofPelargonium×hortorum identified as code number F-18-15, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPelargonium×hortorum identified as code number F-11-01, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Duevipisplash was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progenyfrom this cross in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany inJune, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingstaken at Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2001, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duevipisplash’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Duevipisplash’ as a new cultivar anddistinguish it from other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:

1. Upright, outwardly spreading and rounded plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit.

3. Freely flowering habit.

4. Light red purple-colored flowers with red purple spots towardscenter.

Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection F-18-15, plantsof the new Zonal Geranium differ in flower color. Compared to plants ofthe male parent, the selection F-11-01, plants of the new Zonal Geraniumare more freely branching and differ in flower color.

The new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar‘Eiskristall’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inRheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed fromplants of the cultivar Eiskristall in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were taller than plants of thecultivar Eiskristall.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium were brighter green incolor than leaves of plants of the cultivar Eiskristall.

3. Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium had a zonation patternwhereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Eiskristall did not have azonation pattern.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower andfoliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Zonal Geranium. The photograph comprisesa side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duevipisplash’grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Duevipisplash has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the summer undercommercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and nighttemperatures about 18° C. and light levels about 4,500 footcandles.Plants were grown in 10.5-cm containers. Plants were about eight weeksfrom unrooted cuttings when the photograph and the detailed botanicaldescription were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum cultivar Duevipisplash,also known as Z98-4160-10.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identifiedas F-18-15, not patented.

Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium×hortorum identified asF-11-01, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 5 days at 20° C. Winter: About 7days at 20° C.

Time to develop roots.—Summer: About 21 days at 20° C. Winter: About 28days at 20° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Upright, outwardly spreading and rounded planthabit; densely foliated.

Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous. Basal branching, aboutthree lateral branches per plant.

Plant height.—About 22 cm.

Plant width.—About 23 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Internode length: About 1 cm.Texture: Smooth. Color: 144A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Quantity of leavesper lateral branch: About six. Length: About 7 cm. Width: About 8.6 cm.Shape: Reniform. Apex: Rounded. Base: Cordate. Margin: Crenate. Venationpattern: Palmate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color:Young and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 137B. Young and fullyexpanded foliage, lower surface: 138B. Venation, upper surface: 137B.Venation, lower surface: 139D. Zonation pattern: Faint. Width: About 7mm. Color: 137A. Petiole: Length: About 6.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm.Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.

Flower description:

Flower arrangement.—Light red purple-colored semi-double flowers withred purple spots towards center arranged in rounded hemispherical umbelsarising from apical leaf axils. Umbels displayed above and beyond thefoliage on peduncles. Flowers rounded in form. Umbels persistent,flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.

Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; at full flower, plants have aboutsix open and developing umbels with about 30 flowers per umbel.

Flowering season.—Flowering continuous spring until the autumn.

Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on the plant.

Umbel size.—Height: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 8 cm.

Flower size.—Diameter: About 4 cm. Depth (height): About 2.5 cm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 144A.

Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five or six. Length: About 2.4 cm.Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate.Margin: Entire; sinuate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth.Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 74C; red purple,57B, spots towards base. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:75C.

Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About two or three. Length: About 2.4cm. Width: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate.Margin: Entire; sinuate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth.Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 74C; red purple,57B, spots towards base. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:75C.

Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single whorl. Length:About 1.4 cm. Width: About 2.6 mm. Shape: Elongated, tapering. Apex:Apiculate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth;glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.

Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 cm.Angle: Mostly erect. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth;glabrous. Color: 144A.

Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About1 mm. Angle: Mostly erect. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:Pubescent. Color: 144A faintly overlain with 59A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower: Aboutseven. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther color:43A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 25A. Gynoecium: Pistilquantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Stigma shape:Five-parted, star-shaped. Stigma color: 64B. Style length: About 5 mm.Style color: 26C. Ovary color: 144A.

Seed/fruit.—Development of seeds and fruit have not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not beenobserved to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to ZonalGeraniums.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have beenobserved to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 5 to 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plantnamed ‘Duevipisplash’, as herein illustrated and described.